Fresh Hop Ale Festival 2023 & GEBL Fresh Hop Competition

Saturday, October 7th at the SOZO Sports Complex, Yakima WA is the date and location of this year’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival.

Initial entry to the home brew competition is $65 and each additional entry is $10. As part of your registration, you will receive general admission festival entry, commemorative glass, and 2 scrip token, a custom hat, and access to the Brewer’s Hospitality Tent.

  1. Your entry must fall into the Pale Ale, IPA or Imperial IPA categories.
  2. We are looking for beers in the 40 t 120 IBU range and the 5 to 15 SRM color range.
  3. Your entry must contain the flavors and aromas with hops from the 2022 harvest. They can be commercial or home grown and must not be kiln dried. Bittering hops do not fall under this rule.
  4. You must only submit (4) 12 oz. bottles of Fresh Hop ale. Growlers are not allowed.
  5. No cap on entries, but each entry must be submitted separately with it’s own entry form for judging.
  6. Beer must be delivered no later than Friday, October 6th 2023 by 7PM.

Separate from the Fresh Hop Ale Festival the GEBL Fresh Hop Competition has invited us to compete with ten other clubs by submitting our best single example of a Fresh Hop Ale. Details at Fresh Hop Competition 2023 – Greater Everett Brewer’s League (gebl.org) and below:

  • Entries to be delivered to Sound to Summit Brewing on or before October 14, 2023 at 9:30am.
    • Sound to Summit Brewing, 1830 Bickford Ave #111, Snohomish, WA 98290

Rules

  • Beer must contain at least 50% fresh hops
    • The term “Fresh Hops” refers to freshly harvested hops (per the BA Guidelines:
      • Such hops might be undried fresh or frozen cones or ground material, or, freshly kilned dried cones or pellets)
    • Other hops may be used in the beer but the primary flavor and/or aroma character of the hops MUST be from the current year’s hop harvest. 
  • Beer must be homebrewed (not commercial)
  • Beer can be any style

Entries and Pricing

  • $10 entry fee per club
  • Each club may enter 1 submission
    • Clubs will evaluate their member’s beers and select one that best represents their club
    • Clubs will provide at least three (3) 12-ounce bottles or cans OR two (2) 22-ounce bottles or cans
    • Bottles or cans will be labeled with the following information:
      • Club name
      • Brewer’s name
      • Name of beer
      • Fresh hops used
      • ABV
      • IBU

Use of Fresh Hops

  • Beer must contain at least 50% fresh hops
    • The term “Fresh Hops” refers to freshly harvested hops (per the BA Guidelines: Such hops might be undried fresh or frozen cones or ground material, or, freshly kilned dried cones or pellets)
    • Other hops may be used in the beer but the primary flavor and/or aroma character of the hops MUST be from the current year’s hop harvest. 
  • Beer must be homebrewed (not commercial)
  • Beer can be any style

Judging

  • Competition will be judged using the 2021 Brewers Association Fresh Hop guidelines:
    • Fresh Hop Beer  
    • Beer Color: Varies with underlying style
    • Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Hop haze is allowable at any temperature.
    • Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Varies with underlying style
    • Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Fresh hop aroma and flavor is prominent exhibiting green grass-like, fresh mown hay/grass or other fresh hop attributes.
    • Perceived bitterness: Varies with underlying style
    • Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters may present at levels consistent with the underlying beer style being made with fresh hops
    • Body: Varies with underlying style  
    • Additional notes: These ales or lagers are brewed with freshly harvested hops. Such hops might be undried fresh or frozen cones or ground material, or, freshly kilned dried cones or pellets. These beers are typically consumed while fresh to highlight bright fresh hop attributes. Aging these beers will typically modify and reduce fresh-hop characters resulting in unique flavor outcomes. Competition organizers may create subcategories for ales and lagers, or which reflect groups of entries based on fresh hops in unprocessed, frozen, or kilned form. When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, brewers may be asked to provide supplemental information about entries in this category to allow for accurate evaluation of diverse entries. Such information might include the underlying beer style upon which the entry is based, or other information unique to the entry such as hop varieties used, unprocessed, frozen, or kilned, processing or timing of addition(s) (kettle, whirlpool, fermenter, aging tank, etc.), other ingredients used or other factors which influence perceived sensory outcomes. Original Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) Varies with style • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) Varies with style • Hop Bitterness (IBU) Varies with style
    • Local professional brewers will judge the event
      • Judges to be announced soon
    • Feedback will be provided to all participants

Prizes

  • Best of Show winner will be awarded the Fresh Hop Best in Show championship belt (to be held for 1 year)
  • Fresh Hop Championship Belt will be engraved with the winner’s name
  • The winner will get to hold the belt until the next BOS competition
    • If not returned, the winner’s club is responsible for compensation to replace the belt